This year, Saint John has had to take on the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, Baie-Comeau Drakkar, Chicoutimi Sagueneens, and most recently, the Rimouski Oceanic to get back into the Memorial Cup finals as the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League’s representative.

Saint John is joined by the Ontario Hockey League’s champions, the London Knights, the Western Hockey League’s champions, the Edmonton Oil Kings, and the host team this year, the Shawinigan Cataractes as the four teams vying for the Memorial Cup.

Yannick Veilleux, forward for the Cataractes, Ryan Tesink and Stephen MacAulay both forwards for the Saint John’s club, are the three Blues prospects who are still pressing hard for this year’s championship.

I had the privilege to chat a big with Sea Dog’s forward, Stephen MacAulay to get an inside look at what these players go through during their run for the Memorial Cup.

Stephen MacAulay has an interesting future ahead of him but now, he focus' on winning. (image via Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

BlueNote Zone – You won the Memorial Cup last year with Saint John, and your club is charging back as the “favorite” to win it again this year, does being the favorite add to the pressure’s of winning, or do you try not to focus on it?

Stephen MacAualay - I think it may add a bit of pressure, but it’s not necessarily a bad thing in our eyes. The experience we gained from last year’s championship run is so valuable this time around and I think it will help us at this year’s Memorial Cup.

BNZ – Your team was bolstered this year with the addition of Charlie Coyle, who left Boston University to join the Sea Dogs earlier this year. What has the addition of Charlie done for your team down the stretch of the regular season and into the playoffs?

SM – Hes been a heck of a player for us. He is big, strong, fast, good hands and has an NHL shot. He was the playoff MVP this year and really stepped up at times we needed him the most. He plays in all situations for our team and one of the best prospects around so we’re glad he decided to come to Saint John for the second half of the year.

BNZ – Both yourself and teammate Ryan Tesink were both drafted by the St. Louis Blues. Both of you were six round picks, you being drafted in 2010, him in 2011. Has it helped knowing that you’re both in the same organizations with both Saint John and St. Louis?

SM – It’s definitely helped with us being together. We play on the same line here in Saint John for the most part and we play well together. We both play similar styles of game and hopefully we can be playing together again someday at the pro level.

BNZ – There seems to be something about playing in the post season that you love because your game always seems to improve, and your point totals always seem to jump in the playoffs. Do you believe your style of play is better fitted for the playoffs or does you believe you have another level of your game that you can reach during the playoffs?

SM – I believe I have another level to my game when we reach the playoffs. A lot of playoff games are tight checking and it isn’t easy to make things click all the time. I try to play a hard, simple game in the playoffs and it has really been paying off with big goals and games over the last few playoff runs we’ve had. I enjoy the higher intensity of playoff hockey.

BNZ – Over your playing career thus far in juniors, you’ve proved to be a reliable two way player who can add bit of offense when needed, do you think you can translate your game to the NHL level?

SM – I believe if I were to make it to the NHL I would play a similar role as I do in junior. I enjoy killing penalties and being hard to play against so I think my game could translate well at the next level.

BNZ – Almost every player and every fan can rattle off a list of players who have had an impact on their love of the game. Who were the players you admired growing up and watching hockey?

SM – I really admired Joe Sakic when I was growing up. His leadership, talent and the respect that other players had for him are the things I really admired about him.

BNZ – Last year was a great year for Saint John’s Gatineau to win the QJMHL President’s Cup and then going on and beating Missisauga to win the Memorial Cup, what as it like as a player to lift the Memorial Cup, knowing that you had won Junior hockey’s most prized trophy?

SM – It’s truly an incredible feeling that is hard to put into words. When you hoist that trophy over your head, you feel like it doesn’t weigh a pound because you’ve worked so hard to achieve your goal. Hopefully in a couple weeks I can say the same thing with another Memorial Cup win.

BNZ – Mathieu Corbeil-Theriault has been tremendous for the Sea Dogs, setting records for most wins and shutouts in team history, yet Nathan Beaulieu has set the team record for points by a defensemen. All the while, team captain Jonathan Huberdeau has been nothing short of phenomenal all year. If you had to pick your teams MVP, who would it be?

SM – We have so many talented players here in Saint John so it is hard to pick one MVP for the year. Huberdeau missed a couple months of the year with a foot injury and while he was at the World Juniors so he didn’t put up as many points as he could have. I would give the MVP to our goaltender Mathieu Corbeil and our overage forward Danick Gauthier. He is a guy that was very underrated in previous years. He played a bigger role with guys being injured and away at World Juniors. He set a team record for goals in a season with 47, which is incredible.

BNZ – With you likely turning pro next season and jumping into the American Hockey League, what is the best memory you have of playing for the Saint John Sea Dogs?

SM – I would say winning the President’s Cup twice and winning the Memorial Cup last year would be my best memories. Like I said, hopefully I can add this year’s Memorial Cup to that list as well. My entire time here in Saint John has been amazing and I’ve made friends that will last a lifetime.

Stephen MacAulay know’s what it takes to win, he’s done it all throughout his junior career and he’s on his way to another potential championship as well.

It’s very likely MacAulay makes the jump from juniors to the the pro level this summer.  Stephen will likely getting a bottom six role in Peoria next season, similar to the role Anthony Nigro has played for the Rivermen the last two seasons. A third/fourth line role with penalty killing role for with the club.

Now, however, we’ll be sitting back and watching MacAulay, Tesink, and Veilleux fight it out to be the last ones standing and have the chance to lift the Memorial Cup high over their heads as champions of the CHL and of all three junior leagues.

I went six-for-eight in the Conference Quarterfinals . . . but not only did I miss the mark in both of my Western Conference Semifinals in number of games, but  both teams I called as winners . . . lost, including my dearly beloved Blues.

The Eastern Conference didn’t fare much better. With the Rangers vanquishing the Capitals (though in two more games than I thought it would take) and the Devils taking a technical upset over the Flyers, I went one-for-two on the right coast side of things.

So in all . . . ONE of four were winners for me in the Conference Semifinal round. Added with the 6-for-8 in the Conference Quarterfinals, and that’s an overall record of 7 for 12. Still, not too horrible. But it shows how much of a crapshoot this whole playoff season has been.

So now, onward to the Conference Finals. My predictions?

EASTERN CONFERENCE

Matchup: #1 New York Rangers vs. #6 New Jersey Devils

Prediction: Devils in 5

Synopsis: It’s true . . . scoring is finally allowed again in New Jersey. But more importantly . . . what do the Rangers have left in the tank? It’s largely the reason why I’ve chosen how I’ve chosen. Henrik Lundqvist and the boys are coming off two consecutive seven-game series . . . and the general consensus is that they could be out of gas, while the Devils were firing on all cylinders in vanquishing the Flyers and are the rested team coming into this matchup. This is also a bit of a hunch, and trust me, I’ve been wrong about these things before.

WESTERN CONFERENCE

Matchup: #3 Phoenix Coyotes vs. #8 Los Angeles Kings

Prediction: Coyotes in 7

Synopsis: Who wins a series when no goals are scored? We may or may not find out the answer to that question in this series. Both teams are riding hot goaltending into this series . . . Mike Smith for the Coyotes and, as we saw, Jonathan Quick for the Kings. Which one out-duels the other? That may be the question. Both of these teams have the type of depth and size to handle each other on the ice . . . off the cuff, I’ll pick the Coyotes, though, to advance to their franchise’s first ever Stanley Cup Final, but it’ll go the distance.

I’ve noted before that these picks are pretty much a crapshoot, and I stand by that statement. So if you use these picks as a basis to gamble . . . get yourself to rehab, please. You’re an addict.

I’ll see you again to predict the Stanley Cup Finals!

But now the question is this . . . if you’re a Blues fan, who do you root for the rest of the way? Do you root for ANYONE?! That’s a good question with many factors leading to the answer.

You could go the route of “bitter fan who is against the team that just knocked you out” and hope the Los Angeles Kings lose in the next round. This means you’ll probably be rooting for the Phoenix Coyotes in the next round and probably the Stanley Cup Finals. You could go the route of “Gosh, I hope the team that knocked my boys out wins the whole thing because that shows we got beaten by a strong team”, and that would put you squarely in the Kings’ corner. Both of these are fine.

You could root for any of the four teams left in the Eastern Conference. That’s fine too (and for my money, that team is probably going to be the New Jersey Devils . . . but I’m probably going to end up being wrong about that).

For my money, I will be rooting for whoever comes out of the Eastern Conference, though in this exercise, there IS no wrong answer. Hell, our boys are gone, so what does it matter anyway?

So who are you rooting for the rest of the way? Or are you rooting for anyone? Leave it in the comments.

Videographic evidence!:

“SHHHHHHH! F***IN’ SHHHHHHHH!” Y’know what? That’s worth a one-year RFA deal right there, Stew. Thanks for that. Rest up this offseason and get ready for the season of your life . . . because the team needs it.

In the next couple weeks, a run-down of every fight the Blues were involved in this regular season and postseason will be forthcoming. But for now . . . I am burnt the hell out.

Great season. Unfortunate ending.

Not just Blues fans are happy there will be a new owner.

After 2 long yeas waiting and endlessly hoping for someone to come along, the St. Louis Blues finally seem to have an owner.

St. Louis businessman Tom Stillman CEO of Summit Distributing along with a host of other local investors will hold a press conference this week, most likely Wednesday, to announce the completion of the sale projected around 130 million dollars.

Stillman has been trying to buy the Blues since putting in a low bid offer not long after the team went up for sale of around $110 million dollars. That bid was subsequently rejected. Stillman once again showed interest in purchasing the team near the beginning of the 2011-2012 season but with several potential buyers in the mix got kicked to the back burner.

When Chicago businessman Matthew Hulsizer‘s purchase agreement fell through around the 1st of January 2012 Stillman negotiated and signed a purchase agreement to attempt and work out a deal and appease the NHL along the way with the details of the sale.

For months now Blues fans have wondered if this deal would ever become reality and it looks as though we will finally have our guy.

It is unclear what kind of real money Stillman will have on hand to pump into the pay roll but one would have to think he will give Doug Armstrong the green light to make the deals that can and will push this team over the top. With 109 points and a first place finish in the Central Division this season the Blues proved to the NHL that it has drug itself from the cellar and become a team that must be taken seriously moving forward. Hard work and tough team defense was demanded from the players this season and got nothing short of an amazing response. Coach Ken Hitchcock, in his maiden voyage as the Blues skipper, came in to a swirling abyss of unknown and pushed this team to its limits. Realing off a season that shocked most minds in hockey and that of their own fans. Close to the mid-point of the season it was not uncommon to hear fans completely dejected after a loss, something that we as fans of the Blues had become use to in the not so distant past. It was just unheard of that the Blues would lose a game in regulation let alone at all.

The stability that local owner ship can bring to a franchise already on the verge of being “great” will prove to push this young Blues team to new heights. Even though the Blues made it to the second round of the Stanley Cup Playoffs this season it was very apparent that there are some positions in the lineup that still need to be addressed and now with Stillman and gang at the helm should be able to be answered. The Blues lost to LA in a 4 game sweep and until the second period of the 4th game looked like they had not even shown up to the rink. The Blues did not have an answer nor the ability to fight back against a LA team that was on fire.

Moving forward, more pieces of the puzzle accompanied by-play off experience will get the Blues that Stanley Cup that so many have been waiting for. It was reported by Andy Strickland that former Blues winger and all time great Brett Hull will most likely become part of the management structure with the new look front office. It is also reported by Strickland and Jeremey Rutherford that  Armstrong will remain with the team. It is unclear, however, after those names who will remain and who will be on the short list. I encourage Blues fans to stay tuned this week for more information as it becomes available.

You can find articles by the Blues beat writers Jeremey Rutherford here and Andy Strickland here. It is an exciting time for us as Blues fans as we can finally. hopefully, draw some faith in an owner who wants the Blues to succeed and bring home the hardest trophy in all of sports to win, Lord Stanley’s Cup!

LET’S GO BLUES!

Speaking of this good/bad dichotomy . . . this fight between Jamie Langenbrunner and Mike Richards happened last night . . . and it really came out of left field.

Here’s the video:

I’ll start with this: Richards won the fight. But I’ll continue by saying that this was a brilliant, veteran move by Langenbrunner, not only to draw an extra two-minute minor on Richards but to get him off the ice for five more minutes by drawing him into a scrap. Really, what the hell is Richards even doing, fighting a guy who basically is – in hockey terms – a septuagenarian? (WHAT I’M SAYING IS THAT LANGENBRUNNER IS OLD!) I don’t know, and I can’t understand why he would feel good about getting into this scrap, other than that it got him one-third of the way to the Gordie Howe Hat Trick that he earned by the end of this contest.

Not to be insensitive about current events, but what Richards did here was basically the same as what got the now-late Craig Cornett in trouble with the law . . . beating up the elderly, except this was on the ice and not at some casino in St. Chuck County. But I digress . . . and I’m an insensitive jerk, but whatever.

I expect the Blues to show up Sunday and kick some ass. If not, await the curtains and handshakes.

The lone goal of the first period began the poor play of Elliott. Justin Williams attempted shot was sliding wide, but the floundering out of position Blues goalie kicked the puck into the back of his own net for an early Kings lead.

Just over a minute into the second period the Blues had some life. Jonathan Quick got a taste of the Chris Stewart special. Driving down the boards and toward the net, Stewart had Quick thinking he was going to cut across the crease. Instead he backhanded it behind Quick to tie the game.

However, forty seconds later the Kings took the lead right back. Springing loose after a misplay by Carlo Colaiacovo, Dwight King came in on Elliott and sent a quick wrister toward the net. While the shot was not off the ice, it was still good enough to beat the slow leg pad of Elliott.

Midway through the second the Kings struck for the first power play goal of the series. It was another bad goal allowed by Elliott. Mike Richards stood on the goal line eight feet away from the net and took a shot. Not covering the post, Elliott stood frustrated when the puck bounced off his pad behind him.

Early in the third, Stewart again tried to give the Blues life. With a rebound sitting in the crease, Stewart dove for it and got enough of his stick on the puck to slip it by Quick for his second goal of the game and second goal of the playoffs.

The fire Stewart may have ignited in his club was doused by another soft goal allowed by his net minder a few minutes later.

Setting up in the slot, Drew Doughty sent in a shot that trickled through the five hole of Elliott killing any momentum the Blues may have gained.

All four King goals could have been stopped by the Blues keeper. In the playoffs, all four goals should have been stopped by the Blues keeper.

Up Next: Blues face elimination Sunday in game four.

Will Patrik teach SoCal how to Bergie?

Game Three: St. Louis Blues at LA Kings

The first TWO games did not go as planned on the scoreboard. Can the Blues follow the path set in round one?

Who will score first for the Blues tonight? Give us your best guess! Remember, you just need to comment on this post to be entered into the contest; the person with the most correct guesses at the end of the season will win an autographed BNZ 2011 Race for the Cure shirt (Includes 9 player signatures). *Comments must be dated/time stamped prior to the game start time*

Game Info:

Game Three Preview on Hockeybuzz.com

Location: Staples Center, Los Angeles, CA

Opposing Netminder: Jonathan Quick (per Daily Faceoff)

Blues Probable Line Combos:
Forward Lines:
McDonald - Backes - D’Agostini
Steen – Berglund – Oshie
Perron - Sobotka – Stewart
Langenbrunner – Nichol – Crombeen

Defensive Pairings:
Jackman – Pietrangelo
Russell – Polak
Colaiacovo – Shattenkirk

Starting Goalie: 

Brian Elliott

- – -

Please feel free to follow us on Twitter: @BlueNoteZone.

- – -

You think Backes is giving up? No. Neither should you.

The St. Louis Blues played well enough to win Game One but lost, then turned in their worst performance at the worst possible time in Game Two. Both games were at home, and the combination results in a 2-0 series deficit in this best-of-seven Western Conference Semifinals series with the Los Angeles Kings. If you’re a Blues fan who saw this coming and readily admitted as much before the series, you’re probably in the minority. It is natural for a fan to look at this turn of events and act like all is lost, when in reality things could be just beginning. It is also natural for a grave deal of concern going into Game Three of this series late tomorrow night at Staples Center.

But if you’re throwing in the towel right now, please walk gently toward the door and get the hell out of my team’s fan base. Now.

We can give excuses as to why the Blues played so horrendously in Game Two until we’re blue in the face. We can give all sorts of reasons why the Blues are in the predicament they are in . . . essentially the League favorite in Vegas, needing four wins in five possible games to advance. But if you’re going to tell me that you’re not going to watch the rest of this series because “Oh, I know what’s going to happen, the Blues are going to ass this up completely” or something similar to that mold, I don’t want you anywhere near this team. Why? Two reasons . . . 1) Positives (AND YES, THERE WERE SOME) that can be taken from the first two games, and 2) Past history, and RECENT past history at that.

On the first point . . . the Blues were able to play two solid periods after getting shelled in the first on Monday, and they were able to match – if not surpass – the physicality displayed by the Kings in those 40 minutes. For all intents and purposes, the first 20 to 30 minutes of Game One were won by the Blues, and there is a solid chance Alex Pietrangelo returns for Game Three to steady the defensive corps, as he played most of those minutes. On the second point . . . we only have to look to the Boston Bruins, last year’s Stanley Cup Champions, for reference. In their Eastern Conference Quarterfinal series with the Montreal Canadiens, they dropped the first two games at home. What happened after that? The Bruins did what they had to do . . . they stole two games in front of a hostile crowd in Montreal and held serve at home to advance to the next round. Anything is possible, folks.

In the past week, I’ve been called everything from a sore loser to a dumbass for my dedication to this team, and yet I still believe in this team.  I refuse to let two games change my dedication to this squad.  I’m all in.

I won’t even ask a question this week . . . I’m going to channel my inner Jim Fassel . . . and shove my chips to the center of the table and go all in on this crazy game of poker. If you’re in, you’re in. If you’re out, you’re out.

Why not the St. Louis Blues.

Want proof? Here’s proof:

Basically, this was a bear-hugging contest. This was basically something you would be embarrassed to be a part of if you were looking back on it, talking to your grandkids about how hockey fights used to be. You could argue King landed more punches than Crombeen, including the kill shot, and you’d be correct, but this was a massive waste of time, really, and both men should’ve been given two-minute minors for Delay Of Game. I’ll give the edge to King, but only begrudgingly as it really should be a draw.

Ryan Reaves could’ve made this a better fight by just standing there. Roman Polak would’ve enjoyed this challenge. Crombeen just did not bring it in this fight, but then again, neither did his opponent, so it should be a wash.